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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his country wants the war with Russia to end but he will not sign a “weak” peace agreement that would only prolong the conflict.
Seated in his office with a festive tree in the background, Zelenskyy said Ukrainians were exhausted from nearly four years of war, longer than Germany’s occupation of many Ukrainian cities during World War Two.
But they were not prepared to give up, he said in his in his New Year address.
“What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No. We want an end to the war but not the end of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy, wearing a dark green embroidered Ukrainian shirt, said in the 21-minute address issued just before midnight.
“We are exhausted, but does that mean we are ready to give up? Anyone who believes that is gravely mistaken,” declared an official, emphasizing resilience in the face of adversity.
Zelenskyy said any signature “placed on weak agreements only fuel the war”.
“My signature will be placed on a strong agreement. And that is exactly what every meeting, every phone call, every decision is about now,” he said.
“To secure a strong peace for everyone, not for a day, a week or two months, but peace for years.”
Zelenskyy said weeks of US-led diplomacy, including his talks last weekend with US President Donald Trump in Florida, had produced a peace deal that was nearly ready.
“The peace agreement is nearly finalized, with just 10 percent left to resolve,” the official added, highlighting the progress made in negotiations.
“That 10 per cent contains everything, it is the 10 per cent that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe and how people will live.”
Russia holds about 19 per cent of Ukraine’s territory in the south and east, but Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from parts of the eastern Donbas region that Russia’s forces have failed to capture.
Ukraine wants the map frozen at the current battle lines, and Zelenskyy dismissed as “deception” Russian demands for a complete withdrawal from Donbas.
“Does anyone still believe them? Unfortunately, yes,” he said. “Because too often the truth is avoided and called diplomacy when in fact it is simply lies dressed up in business suits.”
Earlier, Ukrainian and European officials rejected Russia’s claims that Ukraine targeted a personal residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin with a drone attack this week.
On Monday, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov alleged Ukraine had tried to attack Putin’s residence in the northern Novgorod region with dozens of drones, adding that Russia would review its negotiating position as a result.
US national security officials have found Ukraine did not target Putin or one of his residences in a drone strike, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
The paper reported the conclusion was supported by a CIA assessment that found no attempt to target Putin or one of his residences.
US President Donald Trump initially expressed sympathy for the Russian charge, telling reporters on Monday that Putin had informed him of the alleged incident and that he was “very angry” about it.
By Wednesday, he appeared more sceptical, sharing on social media a New York Post editorial accusing Russia of blocking peace in Ukraine.
Ukraine has denied it carried out such an attack, describing the allegation as a Russian disinformation campaign meant to drive a wedge between Ukraine and the US after a meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy that both sides described as cordial and productive.
In a detailed briefing paper that Ukraine distributed to EU delegations on Tuesday, Ukraine alleged the Russian allegations were designed to “sabotage” agreements made during the South Florida meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy.
On Wednesday, Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, called Russia’s claims “a deliberate distraction”.
